Until 1945 the Friedrichstraße was Berlin’s central traditional shopping street. It is three blocks east of the parallel Wilhelmstraße, the historic heart of the old government quarter (Regierungsviertel). Friedrichstraße was badly damaged during World War II and only partly rebuilt during the division of Berlin. During the Cold War it was bisected by the Berlin Wall and was the location of Checkpoint Charlie.

In the 1990s Friedrichstraße was rebuilt, and at that time it was one of the city’s largest construction projects. A number of well-known architects contributed to the plans (for example Jean Nouvel, who designed the Galeries Lafayette department store). The redevelopment received mixed reviews, nevertheless the street once again became a popular shopping destination.